Aftermath
by Prudence Chastity
Summary: Tomb Raider: Reboot. Story of the kiss and aftereffects that we didn't get to see in the Tomb Raider story.
1. Chapter 1

"Ah!" Lara Croft flinched under the gentle, administrative hand of her best and closest friend, Samantha Nishimura.

The other woman pressed the antiseptic salve tenderly to her side. "Does that hurt?"

"Yeah, it stings." Lara winced again with another press, and Samantha's eyes lit up in smiling. Lara frowned, brows drawing together at first, but stopped when that hurt her head. "I'm in pain, and you smile about it? Thanks."

Samantha offered her the effort of a smile, at least, even if her lips couldn't fully form one. Lara understood her hesitation, but she wished the distance wasn't there. Ever since kissing her, Samantha had been more tentative around her. They still hadn't talked about it yet. Lara wanted to, but she didn't want Samantha to shy away any further. It was best to wait for her to bring it up… if she would.

"After all you went through, it's silly." Samantha explained quietly, dabbing gently. "That healing makes you complain the most."

"Yeah, well," Lara put a hand to the back of her injured neck, which ached. She cringed. "Maybe it's a good thing you talked me out of Australia."

"We'll go eventually," Samantha soothed, finally putting down the salve in favor of a replacement bandage patch. "You were a bit too hasty for it, is all. Deep breath, Lara." Lara closed her eyes at the warning, teeth gritted with the press of a square-cut bandage Samantha had to press on to keep air bubbles out as she taped around the edges. Lara's tender skin around the injury on the back of her shoulder screamed in protest to the touch of tape. Tape that would have to be ripped off and replaced in just a few hours and would sting so bad all over again…!

"Turn towards me," Samantha asked when it was done and put on alright. Lara obeyed, naked from the waist up with only her injuries to cover her. Samantha's pretty, chocolate eyes darted over her body again to take in the injuries once more for patching. She stared a moment, but Lara knew it wasn't for the same reasons she stared at Samantha sometimes. Samantha's interest in surveying her was clinical only. "I can't believe you carried me with two broken ribs."

The reminding fire in Lara's ribs at the mention was nothing close to the surge through her body when Samantha's lips had touched her own, fueling her for that whole journey to carry Samantha effortlessly back. Lara could barely remember the pain at all after she'd done that.

…If only Sam would bring it up. Lara didn't even know if she should be apologizing for it or what. Samantha had initiated, but Lara had probably, admittedly, enjoyed it more. Samantha's continued silence only spoke to her fears of that. She could be trying to pretend it hadn't happened at all.

"I had to," Lara answered simply enough. "I had to get you out of there. I promised."

"Yeah…" Samantha reached up a hand and pushed back a few, short strands from her face. It reminded Lara of when Samantha had reached up to her, brushing back her hair, and held her cheek in that kiss… Christ! This wasn't good. Samantha's tentative existed only after their kiss, marking it the source of it. Lara had to forget it before that hesitation in Samantha's eye grew all-encompassing. "We… we need to check your burn wound," Samantha finally said, meaning her stomach one. "You really screwed that one up."

Lara frowned again as she touched at the bandage edge to unwind it from around her stomach. Samantha took the edge from her at Lara's first wince and did the chore for her. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that," Samantha added, "I know you had to stop the bleeding. It… must've really hurt." Samantha's eyes roved over all the injuries then, "They all had to kill." Her eyes roved up to Lara's, "How did you do it, Lara? How'd you keep going… with all of this?"

"I couldn't let you die."

When Samantha's eyes lifted to her again, Lara could feel them piercing. She'd never taken the time to notice what beautiful eyes Sam had before. "Thanks for it," Samantha breathed on the exhale, "I mean, really, Lara. Not just saving me… for all of it."

"Sam…" Lara started, aching to tell those pretty eyes that there couldn't have been another way. To tell her how horrified she'd been when Samantha had been taken and that it wouldn't leave her mind for anything else but to get her back and safe. Samantha knew her as her close friend, and that was fine as long as she knew how much Lara cared about her. Even if their kiss had been Samantha's fluke, Lara just wanted her to know.

The door opened abruptly. "Lara?" Lara and Samantha broke of the trance like they were guilty of something and scattered apart in the small, box-like cabin room. "Oh," Reyes noted Lara's half-naked state, "You should lock the door. I could've been Jonah. Anyway, how are the injuries, Lara? Any better today?"

"Yeah," Lara mumbled as Samantha gathered up some burn cream like they hadn't just startled apart. "Getting there."

Reyes nodded. "We'll get you to a hospital soon. Three days out, the captain said. Lunch is ready in any case when you two are done."

"Thanks, Reyes." Samantha affirmed. "I'll be down in a few minutes to pick it up."

Lara started to stand anxiously. "Should we— "

"Hey," Samantha grabbed her arm to keep her from getting up. She gently pressed Lara back down, "Lara, stop that. We have to take care of your burn wound first." Lara cringed, but sat back down to Samantha's command. "It's extremely red around the edges again," Samantha noted, then touched at the spot, which stung almost enough to make Lara scream.

"Sam," Lara gasped, grabbing her hand to keep from further probing. Samantha looked at her with pleading eyes.

"We have to. The infection's already getting worse." She reached up a hand and touched Lara's head before Lara could grab the other hand as well. "You feel warmer, Lara. Are you getting sick?"

"I feel fine," Lara protested, hating this chore worse than any.

"Lie down, Lara." Samantha ordered, not taking any of it. She touched her mostly-uninjured shoulder gently. Lara gritted her teeth. "I'll get the towel you can bite."

Worse than the pain, Lara knew how bad Samantha felt about this. She couldn't control how much it hurt when this happened, but Samantha insisted on being the one to care for her. Mostly, Lara liked that best too, the most comfortable with her anyway, but guilting Samantha wasn't something she liked to do. She couldn't control the pain of this cleaning like the others, and seeing Samantha's face after…ugh.

Samantha returned only a moment later from the small, cubby bathroom with two hand towels, a bottle and soap, and rubbing alcohol to cleanse it. Lara sat in her almost-lateral position, not wanting to aggravate the similar wound she had on her back. She lay braced on her arms. "I'll try to be gentler this time."

"You do fine," Lara assured, taking one of the handtowels from Samantha. She reclined her head so she couldn't see. "I got this one when I first came to the island, you know. It wasn't later." She hoped Samantha understood that it wasn't when she'd been trying to save her.

"Bite down," Samantha coached quietly. Lara bunched the handtowel in her mouth. As soon as the cool, soapy cloth touched her skin, she clenched at the rushing pain that returned, as bad as it first had been. Lara went taut, eyes closed as Samantha gently rubbed in the soap as cleaning protocol suggested. Lara bit harder into the towel and struggled to hold back the tears.

"Don't be stupid. Cry, Lara." Samantha insisted softly, but firmly when she realized what she was trying to hide. Lara bit back a silent curse. She felt fingers on her cheek and almost gagged with the tender touch, tears forming at the edges of her eyes. "You were already strong once. The though part's over now." It took another moment, but the cloth at her burn spot finally lifted. Fat, wet drops trickled back into her hairline. Samantha cradled her cheek.

"Alcohol's coming," Samantha warned. "It'll feel better in a moment." A high, toxic sting followed the burning. Samantha held the cloth there and, after a moment, a slight cool over the pain. Lara finally breathed easy again and pulled the towel from her mouth.

"Sam," She laid her fingers over Samantha's hand and opened her eyes to the pretty, half-Asian curve of her features, so smooth and rounded, unblemished, and framed with short, straight-laced, dark brown hair, only a tint lighter than Lara's. She was beautiful. "…Thanks."

Samantha smiled at her, unrestrained, but still a little sad. "I'm going to get you better, Lara." Samantha vowed in that quiet voice she almost never used until just recently. "That's my promise."

**XXX**

Samantha woke hours later to stare up at the stark ceiling above. In the top bunk of their small cubby room, she rolled to her side and glanced down to the bunk below. "Lara?" Her friend didn't answer. Eyes closed, breathing a little labored for the bottom broken ribs she had, she otherwise seemed more peaceful than usual. Between changing her bandages, keeping down the infection, and getting Lara to keep still without a book to hold her down, Samantha had a full time job in caring for her broken friend. She knew how taxing the rudimentary treatments were on Lara and more, how much Lara needed hospital care more than she could give. It'd be better when they reached shore, but till then, Samantha had to be careful in monitoring her condition.

Rolling up in the bed, Samantha grabbed her white, dirtied jeans and started to pull them on again. She ached for a real shower, but that'd just have to wait a few more days yet. Samantha flinched as the bottom of her right foot nicked her jeans. She stopped, readjusted the leg carefully, then curled her toes to push it through the rest of the way. Samantha suckled in a breath and turned up the bottom of her foot to check. A big, ugly blister had started to form on the rightmost pad under her little toe. Samantha cursed the freaking thing.

Leaning over the far side of her bed, she hung over and grabbed the towel and alcohol she'd used for Lara in addition to a knife. Using the other end of it, she doused the cloth with alcohol and wiped the blade with it. Taking a deep breath, Samantha firmly gripped her foot in a hand, and with careful precision, she prodded into the blister with the tip of the knife. Samantha winced at the flare of pain, hand wavering just a fraction, but she didn't quit. A horrible squeak of pain escaped as she carved the loose skin off. Samantha kept her mouth shut to control her whimpers. She re-doused the cloth and pressed it to the bottom of her foot where the blister had been, skin ripped, red, and swollen from where her melted shoe sole had painfully been removed from her foot.

Samantha bit back a silent curse and swallowed down her pain. The injured sole stung something terrible. When the stinging finally cooled a meager bit, Samantha leaned over for the bandages and started to wrap her foot again for the day. At least she had slippers from that nice ship worker to step in. Being just the one foot that'd gotten too hot near the fire, her minor injuries were nothing compared to Lara's. She hadn't told her because she didn't want Lara fretting over it. They'd both get treatment when they made it to the hospital at home and that'd be that.

As she finished up wrapping, a small moan echoed from below her bunk. Samantha checked beneath her again at Lara as she moaned again. "Lara?" Samantha gingerly stepped down, landing on her good foot, and quickly slipped into the borrowed slippers she'd been given. "Sweetie, are you okay?"

Lara rolled flat to her back as Samantha stepped over and winced when her tender spot hit the sheets. "Sammie?" Lara croaked in a scratchy voice. Samantha touched her forehead, full weight on the uninjured foot to alleviate the pressure. Lara warmed her fingers instantly.

"Lara, you're hot!"

"I don't… feel so good." Lara admitted, and now that she was this close, Samantha could see the beads of sweat on her forehead. Flushed and feverish, her friend wasn't looking any better. Samantha's heart started to race.

"Are you gonna be sick?"

Lara looked at her bleakly, sickly, and breathed heavy. "…Maybe."

"Stay right there," Samantha ordered, though she couldn't move much anyway. "I'm getting you a bucket and water. You have to stay hydrated." Lara bit back another moan as Samantha hurried into the bathroom where their cooler of fresh water bottles was. She searched for some kind of bucket and didn't find one, so she dumped out the small cooler instead. Samantha started to take it back to her, but a sudden, rough jolt had her screaming as she accidentally put pressure on her injured foot and jerked back into the sink. Samantha moaned, but the pained cry of her friend brought her attention back to Lara, who'd fallen off the bed with a thumb at the unexpected jerk. She rolled on the floor and groaned, in massive pain so much worse than Samantha's.

Cursing, Samantha hurried back to her friend. "Lara!"

Her best friend threw up all over the floor.

"Oh, Lara. Yuck." Samantha grimaced, rushing back to kneel beside her where Lara struggled to support herself against the wall. Her foot ached, but she paid it little heed as she held the small cooler before her. Lara looked at her for half a second, dizzy, disoriented, then promptly proceeded to empty the rest of her stomach into the cooler. Samantha winced again as Lara reached for the container. Samantha reached around her shoulders to support her and took up her hair in the other hand. "Get it out, Sweetie."

Another jolt almost tipped her, but Samantha kept a firm grip on her shoulders. Samantha kept an eye out on that vomit still on the floor. Lara moaned and started lowering the bucket. "Hey, hey," Samantha started to reach for it, but Lara shook her head. "No?" Samantha asked as she put it down and capped it. "You done?"

"Yes," Lara breathed raggedly.

"You sure?" Samantha checked, not all that certain with her estimate.

Lara took a moment to respond, eyes closed. Samantha eyed that slowly sliding vomit their way. Finally, Lara confirmed, "Yes," Lara breathed, "I'm done."

"Let's get you up," Samantha urged, dragging Lara up quickly before it could reach them. She pulled her friend back into the bottom bunk as another rough jolt thrust them both back, Samantha cushioning her from the wall. "Ugh."

"Ineed… water."

"There's some on the floor your puke may not have touched yet." Lara leaned over the edge without hesitation and grabbed up a thankfully-clean bottle. Another jerk rocked the boat and Samantha extended a fast arm around her to keep her from falling again.

Lara unscrewed it and drank deeply. "Hey," Samantha grabbed the bottle from her lips and pulled it back, "Go slow," she coached gently, "Or you'll get sick again."

"I'm sorry," Lara apologized meekly.

"You don't have to be sorry, Lara." Samantha chastised. She pressed the bottle back into her fingers, but kept a hand on it in case she was too shaken. "This isn't your fault."

"You hate vomit."

"Well, I don't know anyone who likes vomit…" Samantha admitted cautiously. "But I'm willing to forgive you if you don't kick me out of the bed." Lara made another little moany noise that only worried Samantha.

"But— "

"Hey, Lara, shh. It's my turn to take care of you, okay?" Samantha checked her arm around Lara. "Am I making you too hot?" Samantha started to loosen her arm, but Lara mewled and reached for it.

"No. I'm… it's cold." The boat rocked again, tilting the bed down Lara's way. Samantha strengthened her hold around her friend and Lara winced.

"I'm sorry," Samantha raised her arm higher above the wound, both arms secure just under Lara's breasts. "Keep sipping slowly," Samantha instructed. The closeness, pressed to Lara's back like this to keep her warm inappropriately reminded her of their kiss. Or supposed kiss, anyway. Samantha still couldn't be sure it'd actually happened or… or if she dreamed it. Lara hadn't said anything about it since, which leaned Samantha towards the latter explanation. Whatever had happened or hadn't happened, it wasn't something she ought to be…relishing while Lara was sick like this.

"I'm going to bring you through this, okay?" Samantha told her firmly, distracting her mind away from that warm brush of their lips after Lara had saved her. "We'll be home soon, Lara. But you gotta hang on for me. A few more days. Just a few more. Lara? You hear me?"

"Don't go," Lara asked meekly, eyelids fluttering. "The storm… don't leave me, Sam."

"I'm not going anywhere," Samantha promised. Lara's fingers over hers on the bottle went a little limper. "Go to sleep, Lara." Samantha instructed. "I'll be here when you wake."

Lara curled on her good side and passed out.

**XXX**


	2. Chapter 2

Samantha stayed with her the next few days, but Lara's condition only worsened. When she wasn't conscious, she dreamed. Samantha didn't really know everything she'd been through on their journey, but if the fevered nightmares were any indication of it, she wasn't sure she wanted to. Reyes reluctantly suggested restraints, but Samantha wouldn't allow it. When Lara went into her fits, she held her and tried to keep her friend from hurting herself as best she could. No matter how bad the nightmares seemed, consciousness struck her even worse. Samantha wasn't sure, but Lara seemed to be reliving her experiences in her delirium. On the third day, it got so bad that Jonah had to knock her out. Samantha's heart raced for her friend. Lara needed help.

It was a relief when they finally docked on the end of the third day. Samantha sat with her in the back of the emergency bus, praying while they worked and doused her system with antibiotics and sedatives. She could only watch from a distance when they wheeled Lara away. Samantha was crying by the time Jonah reached her in the hospital and hugged. Samantha sat with him and Reyes for hours in waiting.

When the doctor finally came out, he wore one of those faces nobody wanted to see on a physician. Samantha practically lost it until he said, "She's stabilized." Samantha slackened in Jonah's arms.

"Does that mean she's going to be okay?"

"It'll take a few days for the fever to die down," the doctor cautioned, "And her injuries are severe. With multiple scrapes and lacerations, she may have some nerve damage that runs deeper under the tissue. The punctures into her foot have fractured the bone and has been stiff-casted, but will have to be removed twice daily to check the punctures. Her slash wounds narrowly avoided arteries; we've stitched her arm and cauterized the shoulder. Her stomach puncture had to be re-opened to burn out the infection, and she came in with a fever of 104.8 with hallucinations. She won't be out of the ICU for days."

Samantha's heart increasingly pounded. The doctor seemed to take pity on them then, maybe seeing her faint. "That being said, your friend is very lucky. Whatever happened to her, it missed major arteries and the self-cauterization, crude as it'd been and the source of the infection, probably saved her life from bleeding out. You brought her just in time. Are any of you her family, may I ask?"

"They're dead," Reyes volunteered, "I believe Samantha's listed as the emergency contact."

"Are you Samantha?"

"I am," Samantha volunteered, barely able to breathe. "Can I see her?

The doctor didn't seem happy by the news. "I'm afraid I need to first talk to you about treatment options, costs, medical history and what happened…"

"Do you have to do that now?" Reyes almost snapped.

"The sooner we know, the better we'll be able to treat her."

"Cost isn't an issue." Samantha volunteered brazenly. "Give her the best."

"I'll talk to you about that," Reyes volunteered. "You can fill her in on the confidentials later."

"Samantha needs treatment," Jonah finally said, just remembering maybe by the wince with her step. Samantha had forgotten too, but she didn't have time for this. She had to see Lara.

Before she could step away again, however, Jonah's arms lifted fully around her, taking her straight off the ground. He removed her slipper to reveal her bandaged foot. "Jonah!"

"Sammie, don't."

"I need to see her!" Samantha squirmed to get free.

"Visitors aren't permitted yet." The doctor added unhelpfully. Samantha fought it, but ultimately lost. When the doctor saw her foot, he toted her off too where Samantha received some painful, professional treatment to the bottom of her foot and edges. She was sweating it out by the end in pain by the time they bandaged it up. One of the nurses took an incorrect curiosity in her bruising around the eye and ribs. Samantha had completely forgotten they were there; courtesies of her wrestling matches with the injured Lara.

"They were an accident. I have to go."

"Is someone abusing you, Samantha?" The nurse held up one of her wrists where rope burns had cut into her skin.

After an annoying, extra half-hour of assuring she wasn't a beaten housewife, Samantha finally got away— against doctor's recommendation— and struggled away on crutches until she found Reyes again, who directed her the right way to Lara's room. When Samantha finally found her, she nearly collapsed on Lara in despair.

Freshly washed, as they'd done to Samantha as well, nearly every visible part of her best friend was wrapped. Bandages wound around her head, shoulder, torso, leg, and foot. Patches over the deep scrapes existed everywhere else. At least she'd been washed, but what little of her Samantha could see through the bandages, Lara still looked sickly as sin.

"They said her ribs cracked, not broke." Jonah filled in. "It's a small mercy… surgery's not required with a crack. But her legs have bad burns. They've been in and out every hour."

Samantha only swallowed and drowned in her best friend's pain. She took Lara's hand and didn't let go for hours. Reyes and Jonah shifted in, bathed somewhere and brought food back, but Samantha wasn't hungry for any of it. She just wanted Lara back.

In-between the doctor checkups and meager acceptance of little food to placate her friends, a few days passed before Samantha's mother finally showed up. After a long debate that had Samantha practically flailing in protest, she finally resigned to stop back Lara's mansion with her mother to wash up and refresh before coming back. Samantha had finished bathing in the Jacuzzi-size tub and was dressing her wound when the door opened in. "Mom!"

"Oh, Sweetie," Samantha's six-foot three, brunette, model-gorgeous mother passed off, entering the room anyway as Samantha covered her exposed chest, only in her panties on the side of the tub. "I gave birth to it. Your body's not going to startle me, darling." Angled cheeks rounded towards the bottom of her chin, Maria had a full face, luscious lips, and eyes that matched Samantha's, whom she'd taken after in that. She knelt just by the tub and lifted the leg with her injured foot. "How is my baby's foot doing? Does it still hurt, my girl?"

"Mom, you're being weird again." Samantha pulled her foot away, not wanting her mother to see the raw sole of it.

"Baby," Maria reached out and cradled her cheek with long, slender fingers in a caring, caressing manner, "You escape this… this documentary island by hair, go despondent, and expect no weird?" Maria leaned in and kissed Samantha's cheek. "No, baby. You are mistaken in this. Your father would bind you to the house if he were here."

"I'm going back to the hospital after this," Samantha informed, not wanting to give her mother the wrong impression of staying here.

"Yes," Maria noddingly agreed as she took up the bandage Samantha had left off. "This is good. Lara needs you, baby. She's good girl. Very grounded. I always like her influence on you." Samantha rolled her eyes, but when Marian next looked up with those perfectly-plucked, warm, heart-quenching eyes, she knew she was very serious about the favor Lara had with her. Samantha had always known her mother liked her, but this last venture must've solidified that completely. "We spare no expense for her, Samantha. Anything Lara needs, you tell me or your father."

"Well…" Samantha admitted, having had two days to think on this. When Lara finally woke off the sedatives, she wouldn't like waking in a hospital. She'd feel trapped. Lara would be much more comfortable surrounded by familiar things. "I've been thinking about emergency home care for her." Samantha admitted, "It's expensive, but…"

"No expense," Maria promised, meaning the opposite. "We'll pull her out today. I don't like you at that place anyway. Sterile, antiseptic. Is no place for my daughter. Have you looked up good doctor?"

"Not yet."

"This, you must do. For Lara, Samantha."

"I will, Mom. Right after this."

"Good," Maria agreed, "I will call the hospital for transfer here. You find who, and I pull the best wherever you find her. Girl doctor, Samantha. No man touching Lara."

Samantha half shook her head again. "Okay, Mom."

"And no parties," Maria warned. "I stay three days, if I hear you invite those boys after— "

"I'm not going to have a party while Lara's sick, Mom."

"Don't give me that look, Samantha. I know you like fun. Your father wants a sitter—"

"Mom!" Samantha protested bleakly. This, she could understand from her dad, who disapproved of her… extracurriculars, career, living with Lara, almost everything she did, really, but if her mother thought she needed someone to _babysit _her—

"I tell him I call. But I don't." Her mother finished. "Don't make me regret it, baby."

"I won't, Mom." Samantha breathed in relief. "I'm not going to have any parties."

"I know," Maria finished up wrapping her foot and taped it off on the top. "But I'm bad mother if I don't say." Maria leaned in and hugged her. Samantha hugged her mother back, grateful for her mom's understanding and trust in her.

"You're not a bad mother, Mom."

Maria squeezed her tighter. "I am glad you are safe." Maria articulated, then kissed her forehead. "Bless Lara." When she finally pulled away, she said. "I have maranhos downstairs. You eat before doctor." Casting her foot in the temporary hold once more, her mother handed her clothes. She followed her downstairs to take care of Lara.

**XXX**

Lara didn't wake that day or the next, not even the one after that. Samantha bid her mother a reluctant goodbye before her friend would even consider waking up. The transfer went through just fine that day, and Samantha appreciated having Lara back in a home she shared with Lara, but the absence of her mother made Samantha a little sad. She stayed with Lara mostly after, helping the nurse when circumstance called for it.

Lara took her sweet time waking. It wasn't until the fifth day after in-home care that she opened her eyes again, and Samantha almost missed it for how sleepy she'd become, only dozing off hours in the bed next to Lara. Honey brown eyes blinked open where they hadn't in days. It took Samantha an instant to notice it at all. "'am?" Lara croaked, almost unable to speak at all. Samantha blinked at her, then bolted upright in sitting.

"Lara!" Lara started to move, but Samantha put her hands on her to stop that. "Don't move, Lara. You'll hurt yourself."

Lara glanced down at her body. Even with the minor scrapes mostly scabbed over and well on their way to healing, she still looked like a mummy, all wrapped up like that. Lara opened her mouth to speak, but only made a few indistinguishable noises. "Water!" Samantha detected; after a fever like that and being drip-fed for days, her throat must be so dry. "Do you want water?" Lara quietly nodded. Samantha got it for her and hurried back to see Lara struggling to sit up on her own.

"I said don't move," Samantha chastised, coming beside Lara on the bed. She extended an arm to help ease her into a sitting position against pillows and the headboard. She held the cup with her in case Lara felt too weak to hold it on her own. "Here," Samantha helped guide the cup to her lips. "Little sips."

While she took a few, Samantha explained.

"You went a little crazy on the boat. I don't know if you remember, you had such a high fever, but we landed a few days ago. I bought some home care; she's one of the best. So, that's where we are now."

Lara seemed a little out of it, tired and drained. She leaned back against the headboard, swallowed, and managed to ask, "How long?"

"Um… maybe about a week or so."

"A week!" Lara tried to exclaim, but only ended up coughing in a small fit.

"Hey," Samantha rubbed her back, "Take it easy. Don't get all excited over things." Her fingers lifted to Lara's hair, which she stroked gently to soothe. "Do you remember anything, Sweetie?" She helped Lara take another sip before she could try to answer first. Lara cringed, shoulders hunched as her eyes closed.

"A little…" Tears started to well in her eyes, making Samantha frown immediately. She'd up her pain medication dosage if Lara needed it. "He came at me. I had to… to— " Lara broke down shaking. Samantha wrapped her arm fully around her shoulders and gently squeezed Lara to her, bringing her head in against her as Lara shook and cried.

"Let it out," Samantha whispered, cradling her. "Tell me, if it helps." Lara curled to her, quiet, but let herself be held. When she didn't say anything for a moment after, Samantha stroked her arm. "You saved more than me, you know. None of us would've made it off that island if you didn't do everything you did to save us."

"We shouldn't have been there," Lara whispered in a croaked voice. "We wouldn't have been there if… if I hadn't…"

"You didn't know," Samantha squeezed. "None of us could've known. You can't fault yourself for that, Lara." Samantha hovered close over her head and kissed it. "That wasn't your fault."

"The crew," Lara whimpered, not hearing her, or just not listening. "Alex and Grimm." Lara stifled a sob. "Roth…"

"Lara," Samantha ached for her friend. Lara curled her face into her neck and cried. "They weren't your fault, Lara." Samantha vainly tried to get through. "It wasn't your fault." She held her as her friend kept mourning and tried to quiet her in soothing. Eventually, Lara's energy died out. Samantha could still feel her slow tears, but at least the shaking stopped. Lara leaned her tired head back against Samantha's shoulder, seeing things in her head Samantha couldn't imagine.

Knowing she couldn't take the guilt of their deaths from her friend, Samantha changed the subject in hopes of turning her thoughts from it. "What about you?" Samantha asked gently, "How are you feeling?"

"Like a blob." Lara replied miserably.

"I hope you're not thinking about escaping for a walk."

"I wanna train."

Samantha rolled her eyes, "You're impossible. You better not try to stand without me."

Lara blinked a couple of times and nudged her leg gently near her foot. "What happened to you?"

"It's nothing," Samantha passed off. "Just a little blistering from the fire." Lara turned her head to look at her with concern in her eyes. "Don't look at me like that," Samantha reprimanded, "Not when a third of your legs are crispy sticks." Lara glanced down at her body again where three separate spots on her legs had long wrapping over them, on her thigh, knee, and part of her side.

"Is it bad?"

Samantha almost laughed. "The doctor keeps telling us how lucky you are. They're mostly first and second degree, except where you burned yourself. They had to cut you open again there. Minor surgery, they said." Samantha scoffed. "Since when is any surgery minor?"

"Is that why my side's on fire?"

"You probably shouldn't be sitting up." Samantha reconsidered, starting to lower her, but Lara curled in protest.

"No."

"Lara— "

"Please." Lara asked meekly. "My back hurts." Samantha's hand paused on the lower side of it. Lara closed her eyes and rested to the inside of Samantha's neck. "Sam…"

"It's okay, Lara." Samantha tried to ease. "Just rest. We'll up your pain meds when the nurse checks in again."

"Will it put me to sleep?" Lara asked tiredly, at a total loss of energy. Samantha didn't respond, but rubbed her middle back once more. Lara stayed quiet so long, she thought she might've drifted again, but after so long, Lara finally said. "I had to save you."

"I know, Lara. No one blames you," she repeated it, softer. "No one blames you, Lara." Samantha continued to almost pet her, careful to avoid her tender spots because it seemed to keep her more settled. "You know, seeing you after you stabbed that thing…" Samantha told her gently like a child, "Might've been the happiest moment of my life." Lara felt so warm against her, warm and comfortable. She breathed easy and seemed to be resting more, so Samantha went on. "I thought I was going to die more than once… and you came. Both times. You were always coming for me. That kept me going, you know. I kept thinking you'd come for me… and you did."

Lara didn't say anything. Her breathing had gone a little easier yet. Samantha held her to her body, wanting her nowhere else in the world right now. "I needed you and you came for me. When I looked up from that… that soul-transfer thing, I saw you, Lara… The most beautiful sight." Samantha's mind zapped away to that point, looking up at the pretty features of her best friend and savior. She reached out and cupped her lovely cheek, those soul-piercing honey eyes staring into her. When she saw Lara in the moment again, her head had tilted back to her shoulder and Samantha's hand was on her cheek again. Lara slumbered, eyes closed peacefully.

"I don't know if it was real," Samantha confessed to her quietly, "But I just wanted… wanted to touch you. To hold…." She soothed fingers over her still cheek. "And kiss…"

Lara's eyes opened at once. "Kiss?"

Samantha opened her mouth wordlessly for a moment. "You were asleep!"

"You kissed me."

"I'm about to slap you! You're supposed to be sleeping."

"I was."

"What, you have some kind of kiss-radar or something?" Samantha balked.

"Were you going to kiss me again?" Lara closed her eyes once more like she was sleeping.

"Lara!"

"I thought you didn't want to talk about it." Lara finally said, sobering as she opened pretty eyes on Samantha again. "You didn't say anything."

"I thought I'd dreamt it," Samantha confessed back, feeling a squirming in her stomach when Lara turned her eyes away. "You didn't say anything either, so..."

"I didn't want to pressure you," Lara said sweetly, which made Samantha smile a bit.

"Lara, my lips have been more places than yours have." Lara's brows furrowed together. It made Samantha smile a little more; it was the same troubled look Lara gave her when she danced with guys Lara didn't like. "You should've just said something."

"You were being all tentative and reserved…"

"Of course I was being tentative," Samantha stroked back at her hair in cradling her. "I thought I'd dreamed of passionately kissing my innocent best friend." Lara's furrowed frown-pout deepened, which only made Samantha feel better. "I also thought… I'd dreamed she liked it."

Lara shifted in a squirrely fashion, but when she met her eyes again, Lara had the confidence to ask. "Where's that leave us?"

"Well, I kinda liked it too, you know." Samantha eased, brushing her hair back behind her shoulder from her neck. Lara lowered her eyes and swallowed. "Hey, Sweetie," Samantha saw her nervousness and tried to sooth it. "This doesn't have to change anything between us if we don't want it to either." Lara stayed quiet against her body as Samantha pet her.

"It was my first."

"Hell of a one, I'd say. You rescue the pretty maiden and get a kiss." Samantha brought Lara over more on her chest. She could see less of her face this way, but now could stretch her full arm around her, which she did just under Lara's chest to avoid her side. "You wanna talk about it, Lara?"

"I don't know what to say."

"Did you like it too, or was I just dreaming that?"

"I liked it." Lara confirmed, giving her a little flutter of relief.

"That's good," Samantha secured her hold, stroking up her good arm. "Nothing worse than a girl rejected." Lara was still suspiciously quiet; Samantha didn't like that much. "Baby, why so quiet? Are you scared? …Ashamed?"

"Sam, no." Lara protested that quickly. "It's not that."

"What is it?" When Lara shifted against her, but hesitated to speak again, Samantha tried to figure it. "You know… one kiss doesn't mean you're gay, Lara."

Lara choked and coughed, "Sam— "

"I'm just saying, Lara. I've kissed girls before, present company included, and I don't consider myself a lesbian."

"Sam, I'm gay." Lara coughed, and this time Samantha could tell it covered a laugh. Samantha quirked an eyebrow.

"That so?"

"Yeah…"

"How do you even know that? I've never seen you romantic with anyone."

"I haven't been." Lara confirmed.

"So…" Samantha prodded.

"I don't know," Lara shifted, "All the times you dragged me to the club, telling me about guys, trying to get me to dance with them…"

"Yucky?" Samantha asked with a small and growing smile.

"I'll just say I 'danced' closest to you for a reason besides shyness."

"So… you've been crushing on me." Samantha deduced.

"What? No." Lara protested, "It's not like that. I didn't— not until we kissed, I didn't— "

"Alright, alright," Samantha eased, stroking up her arm. "I believe you, Sweetie. Shh." When Lara had settled again, Samantha gently chastised. "I can't believe you didn't tell me that you're gay. Do you know how many stories I've told you about guys trying to perk your interest about them?"

"Don't remind me."

Samantha grinned. "I would've revised the stories if I knew I could catch your attention some other way."

"You've slept with girls?" Lara asked, twisting around to see her.

"Oh, so now you wanna hear?"

"Shut up." Lara turned her head back forward.

Samantha squeezed her gently with her arm. "Didn't know there was some closet sexuality in your bookish little head."

"There wasn't."

"Past tense?" Samantha teased gently.

"You're the one that kissed me," Lara protested cutely. "I didn't make it weird."

"You feel weird with me now, Sweetie?" Samantha asked with a hint of worry. That was the last thing she'd want between her and Lara. They'd been closer than sisters almost all their lives. It'd kill her to open a distance between them because she'd kissed her friend on a spur of the moment urge because Lara seemed irresistible then.

Lara half avoided the question. "I really liked kissing you, Sam."

"Lara, that's okay." Samantha hugged her in. "I liked it too, Lara. It's okay."

"I'm sorry for making a big deal out of this."

"You don't have to be sorry for anything, Lara." Samantha shook her head. This was a bigger deal for Lara, she understood. She didn't mind Lara fretting about it. "You wanna talk about what we can do about it?" Samantha asked, assuming Lara would need some guidance to talk about it.

"Sure…" Lara agreed tentatively, wanting to, but probably shy of it.

"Well," Samantha started out slowly for her, "If you wanna move on from it, we can both accept that I kissed you, we both liked it, and that's that. Or…" Lara tilted her head back to look at her with doe-like brown eyes. Samantha found them instantly enticing. Like a trance, she was back in that moment when she'd cradled her cheek to kiss her. Samantha wanted to do that again.

"Or what?" Lara asked through perfect lips, staring up at her like that. Samantha lifted a hand to her cheek, but didn't move in on her friend. She looked deep into her warm eyes and smiled a little.

Samantha smiled softly. Her fingers brushed back to Lara's hairline. "You should take some time to think about it, Lara. If you wanted to try it again… just tell me."

"Sam…"

"Hmm?"

"I want to kiss you."

"Well, that's not a lot of time, but— " Lara took her off-guard then in initiating. The angle was awkward and Lara, clumsy, but their mouths together felt heavenly, better than a lot of kisses she'd shared, which was funny because Lara wasn't skilled in the act, but she tasted so good, making her warm like an experienced friend.

When Lara pulled away, her eyes were closed and she drew in a deep breath before turning her head down and away. "I'm sorry."

"Sweetie," Samantha secured her arm and kissed the top of her turned-down head. "You can kiss me whenever you want. Don't feel bad about it."

"I shouldn't have." Lara insisted, still looking down at the floor. "I don't want this to come between us, Sam."

"Nothing has to come between us." Samantha shook her head, "Look, Lara: you're injured and tired. This is a lot to take in at once for you. You should rest on it and take some more time. If you're over our kisses by then, that's that, no harm done. If you still wanna kiss me after… we can work from there, right? Stuff doesn't have to change between us." She clung to her back. "You're important to me, Lara. That's not gonna change, kisses or no. Does that sound good?" Lara hesitated. "Lara?"

"Okay," Lara finally agreed. "Thanks, Sam." Samantha held her and Lara finally rested again.


End file.
